Origin
Roger : Scottish English North German French Walloon Catalan and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements hrōd ‘renown’ +gār gēr ‘spear lance’ which was introduced into England by the Normans in the form Rog(i)er and was reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróthgeirr.
Brassett : from Middle English bras ‘brass’ (Old English bræs used as a type of hardness insensibility) + hed heved ‘head’ (Old English hēafod). Compare brassehead buls 1613 in OED. Compare Roger Brasenhed 1434 in Norwich Freemen.
Broatch : 1: from Broats in Kirkpatrick-Fleming (Dumfriess). The place-name may be directly or indirectly from an English plural form of Old Norse broti ‘broken land cleared land’ . 2: from Middle English bro(u)che ‘pointed weapon or instrument; clasp brooch pin’ perhaps for one who made or sold such items. Compare Ralph Brocher 1222 in Feet of Fines (Suffolk); John Brocher Roger le Brochere 1281 in London Letter Books B. Compare William Bruchemaker 1381 in Yorks Poll Tax and William ploghbrocher 1281 in Fransson (Lincs) probably a maker of ploughshares.
Buck : 1: English: nickname from Middle English buc(ke) ‘male goat’ (Old English bucca) or a ‘male deer’ (Old English bucc). The goat was popularly associated with lecherous behaviour and the deer with timidity and speed. The surname may also be a shortened form of longer occupational names for example Roger le Bucmanger' ‘dealer in bucks or venison’ (Warwickshire 1221) or Walter Bucswayn perhaps ‘goatherd’ (Somerset 1327).2: English: topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent beech tree such as Peter atte Buk (Suffolk 1327) from Middle English buk ‘beech’ (from Old English bōc).3: German and Dutch (Limburg): from a personal name a short form of Burkhard (see Burkhart).4: North German and Danish: nickname for a fat man from Middle Low German būk ‘belly’. Compare Bauch.5: German and Dutch (Limburg): variant of Bock.6: German: variant of Puck in the sense ‘defiant spiteful’ or ‘stubborn’.7: German: topographic name from the field name Buck ‘hill’.8: Germanized form of Sorbian Buk: topographic name from buk ‘beech-tree’.
Crowfoot : apparently meaning ‘crow foot’ although Middle English croue(s)fot was also a name for the buttercup. Compare John Hennefot (‘hen foot’) 1306 in Inquisitiones post Mortem (Gloucs); John Cayfot (‘jackdaw foot’) 1275 in Subsidy Rolls (Worcs); Roger Pefot (‘peacock foot’) 1202 in Pleas (Cambs). Absence of medieval evidence for the surname is a difficulty and an alternative explanation as an altered form of another name such as Crawford may need to be found. Compare Barth'o de Crofford 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Aldborough Suffolk) but the origin of this name is unknown.
Denial : variant of Daniel pronounced Denyel. Compare Roger Daniel 1604 Joseph Denial 1795 in IGI (Ecclesfield WR Yorks).
Dodkin : either a Middle English pet form of Dodd or an assimilated form of *Dodgkin a pet form of Roger. Compare Dodd Dodge.
Doggett : English: variant of Duckett with voicing of the medial consonant. Alternatively the name may also be from a Middle English rhyming pet form of Roger (see Dodge) + the diminutive suffix -et. But whether the medial -g- was pronounced as a stop /g/ (as in dog) or an affricate /dʒ/ (as in Roger) is impossible to tell.
Drawer : from an agent derivative of Middle English drauen ‘to draw pull tug’ (Old English dragan) used to denote someone who draws in any of various senses; compare for example Roger le wirdragher ‘wire drawer’ 1313 in York Freemen's Register Richard le Pakkedrawere ‘(wool)pack carrier’ 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (London); Alan de Wifestow mukdragher ‘muck carter’ or possibly ‘scavenger’ 1340 in York Freemen's Register; Elias Wyndrawer ‘wine drawer’ 1373 in London Pleas; David Tothedrawer ‘tooth drawer’ 1422 in London Pleas.
Eddowes : apparently a variant of Edowe + post-medieval excrescent -s but the origin of Edowe is obscure. It might have arisen from an English misinterpretation of Welsh Beddow as ap Eddow on the model of Welsh surname variations like Evan and Bevan. It occurs only after the medieval period of surname formation: Thomas Edowe 1595 in IGI (Manchester Lancs); Rowland Edow 1603 Jane Eddowe 1605 Richard Edo 1697 in IGI (Nuneaton Warwicks); Jane Edo 1604 William Edoe 1612 in IGI (Mancetter Warwicks); David Edow 1612 in IGI (Chester Cheshire). Variation with -s-forms is rare but includes John Edowes 1609 Elinor Edowe 1613 in IGI (Holborn Middx) Randall Eddow 1626 Richard Eddows 1635 in IGI (Malpas Cheshire) and Ran. Eddow 1652 Roger Eddows 1678 in IGI (Whitchurch Shrops). Potential evidence for variation with Beddow(s) in the same parishes is also difficult to find: Randull Eddowes 1656 John Beddow 1673 Eleanor Beddows 1741 in IGI (Malpas Cheshire); Raphe Edowes 1656 Edward Beddoes 1729 in IGI (Oswestry Shrops). In these instances Eddow(s) always appears earlier than Beddow(s) and the two names may originally have had nothing to do with each other.an alternative possibility is that Edowe was back-formed from Edowes in which case Edowes would be a variant of Edis from the Middle English female personal name Edus. Compare Edusecros about 1301 in Place-Names of Cheshire 1 p. 124 recorded in Macclesfield where (no doubt coincidentally) the surname Eddows appears some 400 years later. For this name in East Anglia and the London area see also Edhouse.
Gatford : 1: in Sussex and Surrey perhaps a variant of Catford with voicing of the initial consonant. However the G- spellings are very persistent and there is little sign of early variation with Catford apart from William Catford 1618 Richard Catford 1636 in IGI (Marden Kent) where the initial C- might be an error. Otherwise it might be one of the names in (2) -3 or (4) by migration. 2: from Gateford in Worksop (Notts) which is recorded as Gayteford Gaitford and Geitforth in the medieval period and as Gatford in 1544. The place-name derives from Old English gāt ‘goat’ (genitive plural gāta) influenced by Old Scandinavian geit ‘goat’ + ford ‘ford river crossing’. After 1500 there seems to be no sign of the gentry family of this name that had held the manor of Gateford since the 12th century. 3: perhaps sometimes from Gateforth near Selby (WR Yorks) commonly recorded in the medieval period as Gayteford and occasionally as Gateford and later as Ga(y)teforth. The place-name has the same etymology as Gateford (Notts) in (3) and the two surnames may have been confused. The Yorks name appears to have died out in N England during the 17th century (see Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames) though it may have survived further south by migration perhaps in an altered form. Some of the following early bearers may alternatively belong with (2). 4: perhaps sometimes an altered form of Gatward. Confusion as to the final element of Gatward is illustrated in Vincent Gatworth 1600 Elizabeth Gatward 1602 Jone Gatewood 1611 Roger Gateford 1618 in IGI (Stixwould Lincs). However the spellings in -worth -ward and -wood could equally well represent variants of Gat(e)ford. Stixwould is not far from Lincoln where Christofer Gaytforth is recorded in 1613 in IGI.
Goodswen : from Middle English god ‘good’ + swain ‘servant’ (Old Scandinavian sveinn sven). Compare Roger Godyoman 1297 in Subsidy Rolls (Yorks).
Hebdon : English (Durham and Yorkshire): habitational name from Hebden in Linton (Yorkshire) probably from Old English hēope ‘rose hip’ or hēopa ‘bramble’ + denu ‘valley’. Roger de Mowbray granted the manor of Hebden to Uctred de Hebden a descendant of Uctred Earl of Northumberland (died 1016) in 1120.
Hillan : 1: from Ó hAoileáin see Heelan. 2: perhaps a variant of Hillam. Compare Roger Hillum 1401–2 in Feet of Fines (Uppingham Rutland). 3: see Hilling. 4: see Hilland.
Hodge : English (Norfolk and Suffolk): from the Middle English personal name Hogge a rhyming pet form of Roger. In The Canterbury Tales Chaucer's cook ‘highte Hogge of Ware’ is invoked ‘Now tell on Roger …’. Since Middle English spellings of the personal name are often impossible to distinguish from the nickname Hog(ge) ‘hog’ some early examples may be variants of Hogg.
Hodges : English: variant of Hodge with genitival or post-medieval -s. Occasionally however the name may be topographic for a person who lived or worked at the house of someone named Hodge or Roger.
Lewry : possibly from Anglo-Norman French euerie ‘water office’ with fused definite article la. Compare Roger del Eawerie about 1380 in Anglo-Norman Dictionary.
Maskery : from Middle English macegref ‘butcher’ (Old French macegref an altered form of macecrier). Compare William the Massacrer 1235 in Feet of Fines (Yorks) and Roger le Macecrer 1243 in Assize Rolls (Somerset) from macecrier. Compare also Metzger.
Penno : O. J. Padel suggests it may be a hypocoristic form (with the Cornish suffix -ow) of a name in Pen- such as Pentec ‘fair head’ (Cornish pen ‘head’ + tec ‘fine fair’) attested in Roger Richard and William Pentec about 1230-5 in Cornish Deeds (Pydar Hundred) or Pengwyn ‘white head’ (Cornish pen + gwyn) attested in John Pengwyn 1514 in Cornish Deeds (Saint Columb Major Pydar Hundred Cornwall). Apart from the Saltash example below all the earliest bearers of Penno(w) etc. are located in places in Pydar Hundred.alternatively perhaps a variant of Penn (3) a pet form of the Middle English female personal name Pernel (see Parnell) + the Cornish hypocoristic suffix -ow. Since Parnell is an especially common surname in Devon and Cornwall it is reasonable to suppose that Pernel was used as a given name there.
Phillimore : variant of Finnemore with late medieval or early post-medieval change from -n- to -l-.perhaps also from a minor place in Slimbridge (Gloucs) of uncertain etymology recorded as Fyllymore in 1562 (Gloucs Archives) which is apparently the same as Fulemore recorded between 1200 and 1212 (Berkeley Castle Muniments).perhaps also from Fullamoor in Whitchurch (Devon). Compare Roger de Fulemore 1309 in Patent Rolls (Devon); Roger Folemore 1309 in TNA (Devon); [... de] Folamor 1346 in Place-Names of Devon. The place-name probably derives from Old English fola ‘foal’ + mōr ‘moor’.
Prodger : from the patronymic ap Roger ‘son of Roger’.
Rager : German:: 1: (also Räger): habitational name for someone from either of two places called Ragen: in Tyrol Austria and in former East Prussia or from Rägen in Schleswig-Holstein.2: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rag- ‘counsel’ + hari heri ‘army’.3: possibly an altered form of Reger or Röger (see Roeger).
Ratliff : English (Suffolk): habitational name from one or more of the places so named such as Radcliffe (Lancashire) Radcliffe on Trent and Ratcliffe on Soar (both Nottinghamshire) Radclive (Buckinghamshire) Ratcliffe Culey and Ratcliffe on the Wreake (both Leicestershire) Ratclyffe in Clyst Hydon Ratcliffes in Thorverton and Ratcliffes in Broad Clyst (all Devon) Ratcliff in Stepney (Middlesex) and Rackley in Compton Bishop (Somerset). The placenames derive from Old English rēad ‘red’ + clif ‘cliff bank steep slope’ (see also Rutley). A family of the name Radcliffe trace their descent from Sir Nicholas de Radclyffe. He is said to have been a knight who held the major of Radcliffe in Lancashire and served Roger de Poitou Baron de Marsey in the 11th century.
Rodgman : from the Middle English personal name Roger + -man perhaps used for a servant or retainer of a man called Roger.
Roget : from a pet form of the Middle English given name Roger (Old French Roger Rogier). The name in the UK was augmented or reintroduced from the 16th century onwards by Protestant bearers fleeing persecution in France and the low countries.
Samworth : unexplained; perhaps a locative name from one of the places called Sandford for example in Oxon. Compare Roger Sandeforth or Sandford 1514 in PROB 11 (Stalbridge Dorset).
Skepper : from Middle English skepper skipper ‘basket maker’. See Skipp and compare Roger le Skepmakere 1310 in Patent Rolls (Cambs); Ricardus Skepmaker' 1377 in Poll Tax (Northampton Northants).
Smallpage : apparently from Middle English litel ‘little’ + page ‘boy servant’ for a small boy or servant synonymous with Littlepage. However as Redmonds notes there is no medieval evidence for this Yorks and Lancs name and it may in fact be an altered form by folk etymology of the extinct name Smallpace attested in Roger Smalpas 1295–96 Robert Smalpas 1313–14 in Bolton Priory Compotus (Bolton Abbey WR Yorks). The name denotes someone with a small step (Middle English smal + pas) synonymous with the extinct Anglo-Norman French name Petipas.
Soane : 1: variant of Son (1). 2: occasionally perhaps a variant of Soame or possibly confused with it. However the following early bearers may otherwise belong with (1); compare Roger le Son 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Suffolk).
Soanes : 1: perhaps an altered form of Soames. Compare John Soames 1576 Elizabeth Soames 1731 Samuel Soans 1735 James Soones 1751 in IGI (Dover Kent); and Margaret Soames 1641 Roger Soanes 1645 in IGI (Woodbridge Suffolk). See also Soane and Soame. Alternatively any of the following bearers may belong with (2). 2: variant of Soane with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Souch : from Old French souche ‘tree-stump’ identical in meaning with English Stump. The name may have been brought from some minor French place named La Souche. Compare Ashby de la Zouch in Leics which was held by Roger de la Zuche in 1200 (Feet of Fines).
Strickland : English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from Great and Little Strickland (Westmorland) or Strickland Ketel and Strickland Roger (also Westmorland). The placenames derive from Old English stīrc ‘stirk young bullock or heifer’ + land ‘land’.
Swingewood : 1: perhaps an altered form of Swineshead the original name of Swinchurch (in Chapel Corlton Staffs) denoting a headland shaped like a pig's head (Old English swīn ‘pig’ in the genitive singular + Old English heafod ‘head’). The second element of the place-name was altered to -church in the 19th century. The re-formation of Swinshead as Swing(e)wood and Swinswood is suggested by Tooth citing surnames from the parish of Seighford (Staffs): Roger Swinshed 1631; Roger Swineshutt1666; Thomas Swingwood 1797; Jane Swingewood 1804. 1797; George Swinswood 1907. See (2) however for an alternative derivation. 2: alternatively a variant of Swinford with the substitution of -wood for -ford.
Tillyard : variant of Tiller and Tillier + excrescent -d. Compare Roger Tiller 1558 Mara Tillyard 1659 in IGI (Norwich Norfolk); William Tiller 1612 in IGI (Totnes Devon) and William Tillard 1623 in PROB 11 (Totnes Devon).
Tocock : of uncertain origin. Derivation from Tocketts (NR Yorks) with assimilation to the common type ending in -cock seems unlikely for a name in Hants and Berks although a Sir Roger Tocotes is recorded in 1492 in Bromham (Wilts) in PROB 11. Perhaps it is an altered form of Tuckey (see Tooke) attested in Robert Toky 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Hawkley Hants). Hawkley is four miles from Froxfield (Hants) where Tocock is first recorded from the 16th century.
Vinal : 1: English (Kent and Sussex): habitational name from Vinnal's Farm in Pebmarsh (Essex) which apparently takes its name from a certain Roger Weyenild whose surname appears to be from an Old English female personal name Wynnhild (from wynn ‘joy’ + hild ‘battle’).2: Galician and Spanish (Viñal): habitational name from any of the six places in Galicia (Spain) named Viñal from a derivative of viña ‘vineyard’.
Vinall : English (Sussex and Kent): habitational name from Vinnal's Farm in Pebmarsh Essex which takes its name from a certain Roger Weyenild recorded in 1281 whose surname is probably from an Old English female personal name either Wynnhild (from wynn ‘joy’ + hild ‘battle’) or Cwēnhild (see Quinnell).
Wadling : variant of Wadland; compare Richardi Wadland 1602 Robart Wadling 1629 in IGI (Wylye Wilts); Roger Wadland 1620 Thomas Wadling 1639 in IGI (Saint Budeaux Devon).
Woodfield : 1: English: topographic name for someone who lived in a stretch of open country by a wood or (as a later formation) someone who lived near a field by a wood from Middle English wode ‘wood’ (Old English wudu) + feld ‘open country’ later with the modern meaning ‘field’.2: Scottish: habitational name from Woodfield a place near Annan in Dumfriesshire. A certain Roger Wodyfelde is recorded as holding land in Dumfries in 1365.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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